Skills for Life & Work — Online Courses

Unsure when to use the present perfect or past perfect? Still finding reported speech tricky? Need more practice with conditionals? This practical grammar course will help you put your grammar into action in speaking, writing, reading, and listening. Through engaging topics and interactive activities, you’ll learn to choose the right form for the right situation, express yourself clearly, and sound more natural. Ideal for upper-intermediate learners who want to polish their skills for work, study, or everyday life.

This course runs during terms 2 and 3.

A pre-course assessment is required before joining.

Contact: universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk or call 0204 582 0423

This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

Do you already write well in English but want to take your skills to a level suitable for professional or academic work? Are you looking to develop your expressive range and make your writing more impactful? This course will help you refine your writing by focusing on meaning, precision, and style—going beyond accuracy to explore how language choices shape your message and influence your reader.

You will learn how grammar can be used creatively to express different shades of meaning, expand your vocabulary to say more with fewer words, and develop strategies to make your writing more persuasive, engaging, and memorable.

You may join this course during term 2.

A pre-course assessment is required before enrolment.

Contact: universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk or call 0204 582 0423

This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

Are you a professional aiming to refine your English to the highest level? Are you undertaking postgraduate studies or completing a PhD and need to communicate with precision and sophistication?

The Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) qualification demonstrates to employers, academic institutions, and peers that you have achieved an exceptional command of English. It is the ultimate proof that you can communicate with the fluency, accuracy, and nuance of a highly competent native-level speaker, enabling you to work or study at the most demanding levels.

This course develops advanced skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening, while equipping you with the strategies and confidence needed to succeed in the CPE exam.

You can join this course during term 2.

A pre-course assessment is required before enrolment.

Contact: universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk or call 0204 582 0423

This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

Are you quite confident about your everyday English? Can you go shopping, talk about simple subjects, and write emails or letters - but still make some mistakes? Do you find it hard to speak, read, or write about more difficult subjects?

This pre-intermediate course will help you improve your speaking, listening, reading, and writing. You will learn to understand people more easily, talk about most daily topics with more than one person, read short, simple texts like emails and news stories and write different types of sentences and check your own work effectively.

You can join the course during terms 1,2 or 3. You need to do a short test before joining. Contact: universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk or call 0204 582 0423

This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

This qualification is designed to help you build practical English skills for everyday life, work, and further study. Whether you're writing emails, reading instructions, or speaking in meetings, this course gives you the confidence and ability to communicate clearly and effectively.

Important Notice for Prospective Students 

Enrolment process: 

      Please note that enrolment on this course has a 2-stage process. 

1. A written reading and writing initial assessment 

1. A short 10–15-minute interview with one of our assessors. 

This process is important as the course is demanding and requires a high level of commitment. We want to ensure that you are well-prepared and can achieve your true potential. 

Funding eligibility: 

Students are eligible to complete only one Level 2 qualification for free, either GCSE or Functional Skills Level 2. If you choose to complete Functional Skills Level 2 first, you can NOT then proceed to complete the GCSE for free. 

This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in English. For more information Click here

Is your grammar holding you back? Enhance your communication skills by exploring, analysing, and experimenting with advanced English grammar. This course will help you understand that grammar is not just about rules—it's about meaning. You'll learn to interpret others more accurately and express yourself more clearly and effectively.

This course runs during terms 1 and 3.

You need to do a short test before joining. Contact: universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk or call 0204 582 0423

This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

Have you been learning English for years but feel stuck with your writing? Are you a confident speaker who struggles with formal communication? This course will release you! This course is designed to help you break through those barriers. You’ll focus on improving the structure of your writing - from full texts to paragraphs and sentences - while deepening your understanding of grammar. The skills you develop will also support more formal speaking tasks, such as job interviews, workplace meetings, and presentations. Ideal for those who feel comfortable speaking English but want to build confidence in their writing and formal communication.

You can join the course during terms 1 and 3.

You need to do a short test before joining.

Contact: universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk or call 0204 582 0423

This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

This course supports learners in developing professional writing skills that make an impression. It focuses on crafting messages that are purposeful, polished, and easy to understand—skills essential for effective communication in the workplace. Learners will explore how to write with clarity and confidence across a range of business formats. 

This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here